Artificial bait



1 Jime lo, 1930. I L. R CORNELIUS 1,762,914

ARTIFICIAL BAIT Filed May 7, 1929 1 I IIIIIIIIIIIYIIIIIII l9 Sims-4mm or nor cone, or near, DAIWIL E' 11mm, ABSIGROB or can-mam re wmmm r. wmr,-o1" DAHVILLE, rumors Application filed May 7, 1929; Serial No. 861,018.

It is an object of this invention to provide artificial bait formed in simulation of live bait, having certain parts actuated to move substantially like a livin bait. a Another object of the invent1on is to provide bait having actuating means occupying V a minimum space in'its body, whereby it is necessary to afiord only a comparatively small hollow portion in the body for accommodation of the actuating means.

I It also is an object of the invention to avoid use of a longitudinal crank-shaft driven by a propeller-wheel at the front or rear of the body, and thus obviate thejnecesltsity of employing more or less complicated and expensive means for connecting line and hook at the front and'rear of thebody,

respectively 7 7 With these and other objects in vie v, the 2 invention provides a crank-shaft disposed transversely within the -body; of the bait,

' and driven by a paddle or cup iwheellocated mostly within'the body andi haying its geriphery extendin slig tly below-t ebo y, so that the wheed is driven when the bait is drawn through water or is in a current pr water, the shaft being arranged to actuate a wing or the like on top of the body. Moi'e;

over, the position and arrangement of the- 8 paddle-wheel is such that, when the bait' is being drawn along the bottom, even slowly in still water, at a. rate insufiicient to turn a propeller-wheel, the paddle-wheel is turned by engagement .with the bottom 5 and the wing or the like moved up and down. 7 e

The invention also provides means whereby the speed of the actuating mechanism is regulated. When considered with the description herein, the-characteristics of the invention are apparent from the accompanying draworming part-hereof, wherem artificial halt in. simulation of a -minnow or other small fish is disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

Although the disclosures herein exemplify what now is considered to be a preferable embodiment of the invention, it is to be 1 understood that it is not the intention to be journals;

Fig. 5 is a View of the pivotal mounting of the wing.-

The bait includes a suitably buoyant body 6, which preferably is solid except for the limited necessarily thereto in interpretation I M Fig. 4 is a View of one of the crank-shaft chamber hereinafter referred to. The body I shown is insimulation of a minnow or other vsmall-fish; and it may, if desired, be provided in its lower portion with weights 7 to maintain it normally in upright position m'water. The body is-provided with an eye 8 or, other suitable line-connecting means at its head and with hooks 9 at its tail and other suitable places. I

A plate 10 secured to the top, and in the front part, of the body' has short upstandin members 11 in which is journaled a sha portion 12 of a wing comprising rearwa'r'dlyextending legs 13. 1

In order to impart swinging movement in a chamberor recess 14 in the body below the wing and open at the bottom of the body. K passage or channel 15 extends from the top of the chamber to the top of the body. The actuatingmeans includes a connecting-rod 16 attached to the wing, ex-

tending through the passage into the cham 9o driven while the bait is drawn through, or

is in a current of, water, or is being dragged along the bottom.

The shaft'18 extends at its ends through i to the wing, actuating means is positioned body side walls of the chamber into exteriorly-threaded journals 21 projecting outside of plates 22 secured to the body by suitable fasteners 23. Cap-screws 24 on the journals prevent longitudinal displacement of the shaft. By turnin and thus adjusting, either'or both of .t e cap-screws, the shaft may either be left to rotate freely between the heads of the screws or subjected by the heads to such binding pressure at its ends as will prevent too fast rotation thereof and actuating of the wing in a swift cur rent, or in fasttrolling, or in other uses where the relative movement of the bait and Water is fast.

In use, the bait is drawn through the water, or held stationary in a current of water, by a line attached to the eye 8, the weights 7 being sufficiently heav to maintain the bait below the surface 0 the water or on the bottom, dependent upon the amount of drag on the line. While the bait is being drawn through the water or held stationary ina current of water, the wheel 19 is rotated by means of water action against the paddles or cups of the wheel, the crank-shaft 18 upon which the wheel is mounted is driven, and the wing-legs 13 are' caused to swing up and down through the instrumentality of the connecting-rod 16. As thebody 6 is in simulation of a minnow or other small fish, the movement of the wing-legs imparts a live appearance to the bait, and thus fish are more apt to be attracted thereto and to attempt to swallow it and thus to be caught on one or more of the hooks 9. It is to be observed that, even when the bait is dragged very slowly on the bottom, the wheel will be rotated as a result of the contact of the cups or paddles 1 with the bottom.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. Artificial bait comprising a body, a member movably mounted thereon, a transverse crankshaft in said body, means 0 eratively connecting said member and tile crank of said shaft, and a water-actuatablewheel fast on said shaft and extending outside of said body.

2-. Artificial bait comprising a body, a member movably mounted thereon, a transverse crank-shaft in said body, means operatively connecting saidmember and the crank of said shaft, and a water-actuatable wheel, fast on said shaft and housed mainly within said body and extending below the bottom of the body.

3. Artificial bait comprising a body containing a chamber 0 en at its bottom and having a passage lea ing from the chamber her and to'the crank of said shaft, and a water-actuatable wheel fast on said shaft and extending below said body.

4:. In artificial bait comprising a body, a member movably mounted thereon, a driveshaft connected with and arranged to actuate said member, a water-actuatable wheel arranged to rotate said shaft, and means associated with said shaft whereby speed thereof is regulated.

- 5. In artificial bait comprising a body, a member movably mounted thereon, a driveshaft arranged to actuate said member, journals in which said shaft is mounted, a member turnably associated with one of said journals arranged to bind and release said shaft, and a water-actuatablewheel arranged to rotate said shaft.

6. In artificial bait comprising a body, a member movably mounted thereon, a driveshaft arranged to actuate said member, journals in which said shaft is mounted, a capscrew on one of said journals turnable to bind or release said shaft, and a wateractuatable wheel arranged to rotate said shaft.

7. Artificial bait comprising a body, a wing swingably mounted thereon, a transverse crank-shaft in said body, means operatively connecting said wing and the LEE ROY CORNELIUS.

to its top, a member movably mounted on said body, a rotatable transverse crank-shaft in said chamber, a connecting-rod reciproe cable in said passage connected to said mem- 

